Support for automatic train-pipe connecters



April "29, 1924-.

Filed April 1 1 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IQv Nrai April 29, 1924.

, N. M. BARKER sOPPoRT FOR AUTOMATIC mum PIPE couuacwshs Filled Aprik l1, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NORMAN M. BARKER, OF WEST PARK, OHIO, ASSIGNO'R, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE AMERICAN AUTOMATIC CONNECTOR COMPANY, OF WYOMING, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SUPPORT FOR AUTOMATIC TRAIN-PIPE CONNECTERS.

Application filed April 11, 1921. Serial No. 460,291;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NORMAN M. BARKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Park, in the county of Cuyahoga and.

necter, having a spring pressed coupler head mounted on a supporting bracket which is suspended from the drawbar of a car. Such a connector is shown, for example, in Patent No. 1,161,403, issued November 23rd, 1915, to A. L. Moler and his assignees. In this patent the connector bracket is rigidly secured to the dra-wbar at a point adjacent the drawbar head;

The usual practice for suporting a coupler head, as above explained, is feasible when the drawbar locking mechanism is positioned abovethe draft rigging, because of the fact that sufficient space is provided be neath the drawbar forattaching a supporting bracket. Occasionally, however, this locking mechanism is positioned beneath the draft rigging and adjacent the locking face of the drawbar and under such conditions,

there is not sufficient clearance beneath' the drawbar for attaching the supporting bracket, without interfering with the operation of the locking mechanism.

Accordingly, one of the objects of my in- 7 claims.

In carrying out my invention I employ a supporting bracket, which extends away from the connecter shank and is secured to the drawbar at a point adjacent the innermost end thereof. Furthermore, I provide a tie which connects the bracket with the drawbar at a point adjacent the outermost end there# of, whereby a three point engagement is effected between the bracket and the draft rigging.

The means for accomplishing the above objects will be more fully set forth in the following description, which relates to the drawings, and the essential characteristics of my invention will be set forth in the In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of two railway cars coupled together and'employing an automatic connecter embodying features of my invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation'of the suporting mechanism shown apart from the railway cars; Fig; 3 is a bottom View of the'supporting bracket projected downwardly from Fig. 2; Fig. t is a sect-ion taken on the line 4: 1; in Fig. 22; Figs. 5 and 6 are details showing the construction of the lowermost portion of the supporting bracket.

Designating the parts shown in the dram ings by the use of reference characters, A and B represent railway cars which are coupled together by the train couplers C and D and which are provided with conduits as at E, F and G. lhese conduits may be used for the air signal, the air brake and the steam line respectively.

Positioned beneath the train couplers, I have shown'an automatic connecter having a head 10 and provided with orifices'for receiving the f above mentioned conduits. Each head is shown as secured to a shank 11 and supported on trunnions 12 by a bracket 13. A strong spring 1 f extends be tween the'braeket and the head, to urge the connecter heads into engagement with each other; it being understood that such springs are compressed when the cars are coupled together.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the drawbar C is shown as provided with a locking mechanism, indicated generally at 15 beneath the.

locking face, which locking mechanism extends rearwardly and requires. considerable space for the efiective operatlon thereof.

ice

Accordingly in adapting an automatic connecter to a draft rigging which is equipped with this form. of locking mechanism, I

together.

have shown a suppgrtingbracket 13 as eX- tendingaway from theconnecter shank and secured to the inner portion of the drawbar. A preferred way of connecting the bracket to the drawbar is embodied in a through bolt 35 which may extend through the dr awbar for permitting the bracket to be pivoted about such point of connection. Beneath this'point of connection, I provide" a pair of set screws,-as at 17, to secure the bracket to the 'drawbar and to adfl'ist'lt to various sizes of draft rigging. This. bracket preferably comprises a casting having longi tudmal reinforcing ribs l8,-which-extend from the point of engagement with the drawbar, to the point of engagement withthe trunnion 12,=and having flanges '19 extending laterally from the ribs andposi-l tioned on the upper side of the bracket.

v The lowermost portion of the bracket, as is shown in the above patent, is providedwith apair of arms 21 each having a slot." 20- for receiv ng the trunmons 12;

7 The space between the arms 21 is suflicient to permit the shank 11 to have universal move- .Inent therein, to compensate for movements of the car'when the connecter are coupled To provide'a three'point engagement between thebracket and the drawbar, I'employ a connecting tie 25*, which is shown as arod having one end thereof pivoted at26 to a member 27. This member is preferably anv eye bolt which is arranged to be held in threaded engagement with the drawbar. The lower portion of the tie 25 is shown as being adjustably secured to the bracket 18 by means of suitable lock nuts 28,29, which engage the bracket on the upper-and lower 'portionsithereof. respectively. In place of theconnecting tie, I may provide an arm which comprises apart of the bracket .cast-' tion, are coupled together, then the stresses finci dentto such coupling action are trans-- mitted to the drawbar by compression through the bracketl3l. Furthermore, the position of the connecting tie provides a reinforcing means-which serves, notonly to transmit vcoupling. stressesto the drawbar, but also to prevent the-bracket from pivoting about the 'drawbar, in the event of any loosening of the locking nut 17 r In connecting the bracket 13 to the drawbar,it is possibleto adjusttheheight of the connecter head byswinging the bracket about thepivot- 35 and then rigidly securing I l D I having the other 1t mfsu dJ td p si n; yw t gn ns;

From the foregoing description, it will be seen-that I have provided an effective means i for supporting an automatic connecter head beneath the draft rigging of a car, and for enabling such connecter head to be operated without interfering, in any manner, with the operation of any locking. mechanism,

which may be'positioned beneath the drawbar head. Furthermore, it will beseen that I have provided a supporting mechanism which is quite simple in construction and which is capable of being adjusted for va: rious sizes of draft rigging and is well adapted. for use in connection with existing forms of connecters.

,Having thus described my invention, I claim: r V

1. In a train pipe connecter, a drawbar, a bracket supported on said drawbar, a reinforcement for the bracket supported on said drawbar, thepoints of support being spaced, and an adjustable connection between the bracket and reinforcement.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a drawbar, of a bracket having parallel portions and an inclined connecting portion, and a separate member extending downwardly from the drawbar and rigidly and adjustably secured to the inclined portion of the bracket. 7

3. In an. automatic train pipeconnecter,

the; combination with a coupler, of a bracket I depending therefrom, said bracket inclining toward the coupler head, and a tie rod"piV- oted at't he underside'of the drawba r, and means for adj-ust'ably connecting the tie rod with the inclined portion ofthe bracket.

4. In an automatic connecter the combination with a drawbar, a. connecter. head positioned beneath the drawbar, a bracket comprising an inclined member having the lower end thereof arranged to support the head and having the upper end thereof rigidly secured to the drawbar, a'tie rod and mea'ns for adjustably" securing one end of the tie rod to the bracket, and means forpivotally securing the other endoftheztie" rod to the drawbar.

5.- In a device of the class describedythe combination with a drawbar, of a connecter .head positioned therebenea'th, a bracket having-the upper end thereof-secured to thedrawbar and the lower end thereof adapted, to support the connecter head, and a tie rod having one end thereof adjustably secured to' thelowerpartof the bracket and endthereof secured to the drawbar.

6. In combination, a drawbar, a connecter head, a bracket having one end thereof secured to the drawbar, and the other end attached to the head, a separate tie rod carried at its upper end by the drawbar and at its lower end extending through the bracket adjacent the head, and means on the tie bar for adjustably clamping it to the bracket.

7. In an automatic train pipe connecter, the combination with a coupler, of a bracket depending therefrom, a connecter head and shank supported by the bracket, an eye secured to the under side of the drawbar, and a tie rod pivoted to said eye, and means for adjustably connecting the tie rod with the lower portion of the bracket.

8. In combination, a connecter head, a bracket therefor, means to support the bracket above said head, a separate rigid member secured to and extending upwardly from the bracket, and means for securing the upper end of said member to the supporting surface, whereby the supporting surface, bracket and member, form a triangle, and means for adjusting the effective length of said member.

9. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a drawbar, of a connecter head, a supporting bracket therefor, said bracket comprising an inclined member having the ends thereof secured to the drawbar and to the connecter head respectively, and a tie member having the upper end thereof secured to the outer portion of the drawbar and the lower end thereof passing through an opening in the bracket, said member extending at substantially right angles to the inclined portion of the bracket, and nuts on said member engaging upper and under surfaces of the bracket, for adjusting the position of said bracket with relation to said member. a

10. In a device of the class described, the combination with a drawbar, of a connecter head positioned therebeneath, a bracket having the upper end thereof bifurcated and embracing the drawbar, and the lower end thereof adapted to support the connecter head, and a tie rod having the lower end thereof passing through and adjustably secured to the lower portion of the bracket and having the other end thereof pivoted to the drawbar.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

NORMAN M. BARKER. 

